New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Dongisustjazco’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens  plant named ‘Dongisustjazco’ characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; large variegated leaves with dark green-colored marginal areas surrounding yellow-colored centers; freely flowering habit; large flat flowers that are vivid red in color; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DONGISUSTJAZCO’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: New Guinea Impatiens Plant Named ‘DONGISUSTJAZHOPI’

Applicant: Ruth Kobayashi

Filed: Concurrently with the instant application having application Ser. No. 16/873,884.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR AND APPLICANT

The Inventor and Applicant assert that no sales, publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/or the Applicant. Inventor and Applicant claim a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dongisustjazco’.

The new Impatiens plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new early and freely flowering New Guinea Impatiens plants with variegated leaves, large attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Impatiens plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number NN-1539, not patented. The new Impatiens plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of the mutation parent selection in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. on Dec. 20, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Impatiens plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. since Jul. 20, 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylight and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dongisustjazco’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dongisustjazco’ as a new and distinct Impatiens plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounding plant         habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Large variegated leaves with dark green-colored marginal         areas surrounding yellow-colored centers.     -   5. Freely flowering habit.     -   6. Large flat flowers that are vivid red in color.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the mutation parent selection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent selection in flower color as flowers of plants of the new Impatiens are vivid red in color whereas flowers of plants of the mutation parent selection purplish pink in color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of Impatiens hawkeri ‘Dongisustjazhopi’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently having application Ser. No. 16/873,884. Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of ‘Dongisustjazhopi’ in flower color as plants of the new Impatiens have vivid red-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Dongisustjazhopi’ have purplish pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of Impatiens hawkeri ‘SAKIMP008’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,014. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of ‘SAKIMP008’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens are not as vigorous as plants of         ‘SAKIMP008’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Impatiens are variegated whereas         leaves of plants of ‘SAKIMP008’ are solid green in color.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens and ‘SAKIMP008’ differ in flower         color as flowers of plants of the new Impatiens are vivid red in         color whereas flowers of plants of ‘SAKIMP008’ are salmon orange         in color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of Impatiens hawkeri ‘Duemagfi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,912. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of ‘Duemagfi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Impatiens are variegated whereas         leaves of plants of ‘Duemagfi’ are solid green in color.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens have smaller flowers than plants         of ‘Duemagfi’.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens and ‘Duemagfi’ differ in flower         color as flowers of plants of the new Impatiens are vivid red in         color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Duemagfi’ are light red in         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Impatiens plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Impatiens plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dongisustjazco’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 2) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dongisustjazco’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter and early spring in 19-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif. and under cultural practices typical of commercial New Guinea Impatiens production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night temperatures averaged 17° C. and light levels ranged from 3,500 to 4,500 lux. Plants were 18 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri ‘Dongisustjazco’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary     selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number NN-1539,     not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About five to             seven days at day temperatures about 27° C. and night             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at day temperatures about 27° C.             and night temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading and             uniformly mounding plant habit; broad inverted triangle in             overall shape; freely branching habit; bushy and dense             appearance; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate to             rapid growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 41 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 64 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Branching habit.—Freely branching with potentially two to             three lateral branches developing at every node.         -   Length.—About 33 cm.         -   Diameter.—Thick, about 1.7 cm.         -   Internode length.—About 5 cm to 9 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading, about 45°             to 50° from stem axis.         -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy.         -   Color, developing.—Close to 146A heavily overlain with close             to 59A to 59B.         -   Color, fully developed.—Close to 146A variably overlain with             close to 59A to 59B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Typically in whorls or opposite; simple.         -   Length, largest leaves.—About 14.25 cm.         -   Width, largest leaves.—About 5.25 cm.         -   Shape.—Obovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Serrate with ciliation.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             slightly glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             semi-glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Centers, close to             10A to 10B surrounded by close to between 139A and 147A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Centers, close to 9D             surrounded by close 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Centers, close to 8D surrounded with a narrow area             of close to 144A and towards the margins, close to N189A;             midvein, proximally, close to 58A to 58B and distally, close             to 154D; lateral venation, similar to lamina colors. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Centers, close to 11D             surrounded with a narrow area of close to 144A and towards             the margins, close to 147A; midvein, close to 58A to 58B;             lateral venation, similar to lamina colors.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.1 cm to 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 4             mm to 5 mm. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 58A to 58B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Large single axillary             flowers that are rounded rectangular in shape; freely             flowering habit, typically about three to five fully opened             flowers and about two to three flower buds per lateral             branch; flowers are flat and positioned above and beyond the             foliar plane, flowers typically face mostly upright.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers typically last about four to seven             days on the plant under greenhouse conditions; petals             self-cleaning, gynoecium persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse             conditions; in the garden, flowering from spring until fall             in California; early flowering habit, plants typically begin             flowering about 14 weeks from unrooted cuttings.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.25 cm. Diameter: About 7.25 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy.             Color: Close to 146C to 146D variably overlain with close to             59A to 59B.         -   Flower diameter.—Large, about 4.5 cm by 6 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.75 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five per flower in a             single whorl with one banner petal, two lateral petals and             two lower petals. Length, banner petal: About 3 cm. Length,             lateral petals: About 2.4 cm. Length, lower petals: About             3 cm. Width, banner petal: About 3.5 cm. Width, lateral             petals: About 2.1 cm. Width, lower petals: About 3 cm.             Shape, all petals: Cordate. Apex, all petals: Emarginate,             cordate. Base, all petals: Cuneate. Margin, all petals:             Entire, not undulate. Texture and luster, all petals, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; slightly glossy;             iridescent. Texture and luster, all petals, lower surface:             Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, all petals: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 52A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 52A to 52B. Fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 52A; color does not change with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 52B; color does not change             with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Three in a single whorl;             two laterals are opposite and the third modified into an             elongated spur. Lateral sepal length: About 1.2 cm. Lateral             sepal width: About 7 mm. Lateral sepal shape: Ovate. Lateral             sepal apex: Aristate. Lateral sepal base: Obtuse. Lateral             sepal margin: Entire, not undulate. Lateral sepal texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             moderately glossy. Lateral sepal color, upper surface: Close             to 146A. Lateral sepal color, lower surface: Close to 146A             variably overlain with close to 58A Spur length: About             4.75 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 2 mm; at apex, less             than 1 mm. Spur shape: Acicular, curved. Spur texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Spur color:             Close to 59A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.5 cm to 3.7 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Angle: About 30° to 45° from stem axis. Strength:             Strong; flexible. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             semi-glossy. Color: Close to 58A to 58B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at             anthers; filaments free. Filament length: About 4.5 mm.             Filament color: Close to 158A. Anther length: About 2.75 mm.             Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to N155B. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 158A. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 4.75 mm.             Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Style             length: About 3.75 mm. Style color: Close to 144A. Ovary             color: Close to 144A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Impatiens. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Impatiens     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Impatiens plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been observed     to have good garden performance, to perform well in shade and sun     exposures and to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to     about 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Impatiens plant named ‘Dongisustjazco’ as illustrated and described. 